International cello competition in honor of Turkish virtuoso

10.07.2017

Share:

2. International Benyamin Sönmez Cello Competition will be organised between 17 and 19 September 2017 in Fethiye, Turkey. Sönmez, the biggest Turkish prodigy of cello that this country has ever produced since decades, had deceased because of a heart attack while sleeping on December 1st of 2011. Sönmez was a student of the great Russian virtuoso Natalia Gutman and just before his passing away he was preparing to take his part in some prestigious projects with the help of Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation.

The jury of the competition will consist of some well known names of the cello world in Turkey and abroad: Christoph Henkel (Germany), Claus Kanngiesser (Germany), Dilbağ Tokay (Turkey), İbrahim Yazıcı (Turkey), Münif Akalın (Turkey), Mehmet Sönmez (bassist, representing the organising committee).

The winner of the 2. International Benyamin Sönmez Cello Competition will be awarded with 5.000 Euros alongside the opportunity to play a concerto accompanied with an orchestra in Fethiye Classical Music Festival in 2018. The second will receive 3.000 Euros and the third will receive 2.000 Euros while the honorable mention prize will be 1.000 Euros worth.

More details can be obtained from the website of the competition: www.benyaminsonmez.org